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+/**
+
+@page CodingSuggestions Coding suggestions
+
+So you want to add code to Samba ...
+
+One of the daunting tasks facing a programmer attempting to write code for
+Samba is understanding the various coding conventions used by those most
+active in the project.  These conventions were mostly unwritten and helped
+improve either the portability, stability or consistency of the code. This
+document will attempt to document a few of the more important coding
+practices used at this time on the Samba project.  The coding practices are
+expected to change slightly over time, and even to grow as more is learned
+about obscure portability considerations.  Two existing documents
+samba/source/internals.doc and samba/source/architecture.doc provide
+additional information.
+
+The loosely related question of coding style is very personal and this
+document does not attempt to address that subject, except to say that I
+have observed that eight character tabs seem to be preferred in Samba
+source.  If you are interested in the topic of coding style, two oft-quoted
+documents are:
+
+   http://lxr.linux.no/source/Documentation/CodingStyle
+   http://www.fsf.org/prep/standards_toc.html
+
+but note that coding style in Samba varies due to the many different
+programmers who have contributed.
+
+Following are some considerations you should use when adding new code to
+Samba.  First and foremost remember that:
+
+Portability is a primary consideration in adding function, as is network
+compatability with de facto, existing, real world CIFS/SMB implementations.
+There are lots of platforms that Samba builds on so use caution when adding
+a call to a library function that is not invoked in existing Samba code.
+Also note that there are many quite different SMB/CIFS clients that Samba
+tries to support, not all of which follow the SNIA CIFS Technical Reference
+(or the earlier Microsoft reference documents or the X/Open book on the SMB
+Standard) perfectly.
+
+Here are some other suggestions:
+
+1) use d_printf instead of printf for display text
+	reason: enable auto-substitution of translated language text 
+
+2) use SAFE_FREE instead of free
+	reason: reduce traps due to null pointers
+
+3) don't use bzero use memset, or ZERO_STRUCT and ZERO_STRUCTP macros
+	reason: not POSIX
+
+4) don't use strcpy and strlen (use safe_* equivalents)
+	reason: to avoid traps due to buffer overruns
+
+5) don't use getopt_long, use popt functions instead
+	reason: portability
+
+6) explicitly add const qualifiers on parm passing in functions where parm
+   is input only (somewhat controversial but const can be #defined away)
+
+8) discourage use of threads
+        reason: portability (also see architecture.doc)
+
+9) don't explicitly include new header files in C files - new h files 
+   should be included by adding them once to includes.h
+	reason: consistency
+
+10) don't explicitly extern functions (they are autogenerated by 
+    "make proto" into proto.h)
+	reason: consistency
+
+11) use endian safe macros when unpacking SMBs (see byteorder.h and
+    internals.doc)
+	reason: not everyone uses Intel
+
+12) Note Unicode implications of charset handling (see internals.doc).  See
+    pull_*  and push_* and convert_string functions.
+	reason: Internationalization
+
+13) Don't assume English only
+	reason: See above
+
+14) Try to avoid using in/out parameters (functions that return data which
+    overwrites input parameters)
+	reason: Can cause stability problems
+
+15) Ensure copyright notices are correct, don't append Tridge's name to code
+    that he didn't write.  If you did not write the code, make sure that it
+    can coexist with the rest of the Samba GPLed code.
+
+16) Consider usage of DATA_BLOBs for length specified byte-data.
+	reason: stability
+
+17) Take advantage of tdbs for database like function
+	reason: consistency
+
+18) Don't access the SAM_ACCOUNT structure directly, they should be accessed
+    via pdb_get...() and pdb_set...() functions.
+	reason: stability, consistency
+
+19) Don't check a password directly against the passdb, always use the
+    check_password() interface.
+	reason: long term pluggability
+
+20) Try to use asprintf rather than pstrings and fstrings where possible
+
+21) Use normal C comments / * instead of C++ comments // like
+    this.  Although the C++ comment format is part of the C99
+    standard, some older vendor C compilers do not accept it.
+
+22) Try to write documentation for API functions and structures
+    explaining the point of the code, the way it should be used, and
+    any special conditions or results.  Mark these with a double-star
+    comment start / ** so that they can be picked up by Doxygen, as in
+    this file.
+
+23) Keep the scope narrow. This means making functions/variables
+    static whenever possible. We don't want our namespace
+    polluted. Each module should have a minimal number of externally
+    visible functions or variables.
+
+24) Use function pointers to keep knowledge about particular pieces of
+    code isolated in one place. We don't want a particular piece of
+    functionality to be spread out across lots of places - that makes
+    for fragile, hand to maintain code. Instead, design an interface
+    and use tables containing function pointers to implement specific
+    functionality. This is particularly important for command
+    interpreters. 
+
+25) Think carefully about what it will be like for someone else to add
+    to and maintain your code. If it would be hard for someone else to
+    maintain then do it another way. 
+
+The suggestions above are simply that, suggestions, but the information may
+help in reducing the routine rework done on new code.  The preceeding list
+is expected to change routinely as new support routines and macros are
+added.
+
+Written by Steve French, with contributions from Simo Sorce, Andrew
+Bartlett, Tim Potter and Martin Pool.
+
+**/